


A Stolen Car

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 03:52:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14347428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: Blair stops to help a driver with a flat tire





	A Stolen Car

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Sentinel Bingo prompt 'flat tire'

A Stolen Car

by Bluewolf

Blair had been checking on an elderly man who lived in a 'cabin' beside William's in Cascade National Forest. William had been at his cabin over the weekend, and when he arrived home he phoned Jim, saying he was a little worried about Andrew Leich.

"He has a bad cough," William said. "He tried to insist that he was all right, that it was just the tail end of a cold, but I didn't like the sound of it. And he's the only one who lives there all year; all the other neighbors use their cabins as - well, holiday homes. If Andrew were to collapse, nobody would know till the following weekend. You know what phone reception is like up there - non-existent. I can go there next weekend and stay for a week or two, but I've got several appointments this week I can't put off, so until then... "

Blair had time off, and had agreed to go; William gave him the key to the cabin, he packed some food and set off.

Andrew had been quite moved by the simple fact that William had thought to get someone to stay near him, while still insisting that he had nothing more than a cold. Blair was inclined to agree, but also agreed that William had been right to feel concern.

Blair used at least some of the time as a holiday, while spending an hour in the morning and two hours in the evening keeping the elderly man company; his afternoons were spent walking and doing a little fishing, and by Friday he had caught three salmon; he cleaned two and put them into William's freezer, and gave the third to Andrew.

William arrived on Friday just before lunchtime. Blair - who had spent his usual hour with Andrew earlier, had a quick meal with William, then set off back to Cascade.

He was part way back when he saw the parked car with its driver standing looking at one of the wheels. He pulled in behind the car and got out. "Problem?"

"Flat, and I don't have a jack."

"Hold on."

Blair turned back to his car, opened the trunk and pulled out his jack. "Right, here you go." He slotted it in place and began to pump it to lift the car. Just seconds later he heard his car start; looking up he saw the stranded driver heading off in his car.

 _Bastard!_ he thought. Then he saw his backpack sitting at the side of the road, and shook his head. _What you might almost call an honest thief. He took the car, but left the pack you had in it!_

A moment's thought and he checked the trunk of the abandoned car. No spare.

Figured.

He disengaged the jack, then reached for his pack. Yes - his cell phone was still in the side pocket. Speed dial one...

"Ellison."

"Hi, Jim. I'm on my way back from your Dad's, but I'm stranded."

"Stranded?"

"I stopped to help a guy with a flat tire. He didn't have a jack. I started to jack the car up, and while I was doing that he stole my car! And it turns out he didn't have a spare. So I'm stuck here... "

"Okay, I'll come and pick you up."

Blair settled down for a wait of at least an hour.

***

As it turned out, it was a little over two hours, and Jim was grinning widely when he arrived and pulled in.

"Jim?"

"We got the guy who took your car."

"You did?"

"He admitted everything. He'd stolen this car. When you stopped, he decided to abandon it and steal yours. But about another ten miles down the road, he hit a pothole and punctured a tire."

"And of course although I have a spare in it, my jack was here."

"When he saw me, he actually waved me down. Got the shock of his life when I asked him why he was in your car and where were you? I arrested him and called for a patrol car to come and collect him. Handcuffed him to my truck and changed your wheel while I was waiting for it. So get your jack, hop in and I'll take you to your car. Patrol is going to check for the owner of this one once I give them the number - we assume it's been reported stolen - and tell him where it is. If they can't track him down immediately - he could be on holiday - they'll get it taken to impound until they do find him."

"Two flats in ten miles," Blair muttered. "Wonder if he'll take that as an omen, and stop stealing cars?"

"I wouldn't guarantee it," Jim said as he started the truck, carefully turned and headed back down the road. "Oh, and Chief - drive carefully once you're back in your car. Yes, I'll be with you - but remember you don't have a spare now."

Blair looked thoughtful. "Wonder if I could sue the guy for the cost of a new tire, your gas coming out here, plus a few hundred dollars for the inconvenience?"

Jim chuckled. "We can have a word with whichever judge gets the case, and get him to make that part of the sentence - recompensing us for our costs. Easier and cheaper than suing. Ah - there's your car."

He pulled in behind it, Blair shifted vehicles, and in convoy they drove back to Cascade.


End file.
